Savannah Christian’s first three wins of the 2022 season were lopsided, but against lesser competition. On Friday, September 16 at Pooler Stadium however, the Raiders made a statement with yet another blowout victory, this time versus Region 3-3A rival Savannah Country Day.
The Raiders (4-0, 1-0 Region 3-3A) dominated from start to finish against the Hornets, winning 45-6 in the end.
It was Savannah Christian’s third win in its last four games against Country Day (2-2, 0-1) and the victory sent a signal to the rest of the area that these Raiders are for real.
Head coach Baker Woodward's Raiders have outscored opponents 217-25 through four games.
The teams traded punches early in the contest as Country Day’s Keith James intercepted a pass on the first Savannah Christian possession. The Raiders returned the favor when Country Day lined up to attempt a long field goal but the kick was blocked by Elijah Griffin.
SCPS scored the game’s first points on its next drive when senior quarterback Paulus Zittrauer found junior Tyler Penrose on a crossing route from 19 yards out. The Raiders led 7-0 through one stanza.
It was the first catch of the season for Penrose.
Midway through the second, Zittrauer capped off a lengthy Raider drive with a one yard QB sneak to move the SCPS advantage to 14-0. That drive was extended by a Country Day defensive facemask penalty and an SCPS conversion on fourth-and-six from around midfield.
Zittrauer scored again using his feet later in the second. He took a shotgun snap and rumbled in from nine yards to give the Raiders a commanding 21-0 lead with just under three minutes remaining in the first half. SCPS took the 21-0 lead into the locker rooms behind Zo Smalls’ 119 first half rushing yards and Zittrauer’s two rushing scores and 66 rushing yards.
In the first half, 10 penalties were accepted as Savannah Christian was flagged six times and Country Day four. The Raiders ran 38 first half plays while Country Day managed just 22 offensive snaps.
After a Country Day three-and-out and a Raider blocked punt to open the third, Smalls rushed in from two yards for his first score of the contest. Ethan Byrd’s 35-yard field goal a few minutes later made the score 31-0 in favor of the home team.
An electric sophomore running back, Smalls finished with 142 yards and a touchdown (his eighth of the season) on 21 carries. He left the game with an apparent leg injury with 5:35 remaining in the third quarter and never returned.
Zittrauer’s two rushing scores gives him four on the season and the passing score moves his season total to seven (two interceptions). He hit six different Raider receivers in the game.
SCDS couldn’t manage to get its ground game going as star senior running back Michael Grandy was held in check for most of the game. Grandy did score his sixth rushing touchdown of the season on a 26-yard rumble late in the third, but the two-point conversion was no good as SCPS retained a comfortable 31-6 lead.
Kenry Wall’s eight yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter officially iced the game and gave the Raiders a 38-6 lead with 10:34 left in the fourth.
SCPS played its starters for the entirety of the game, including on its final drive when a Zittrauer deep pass got the Raiders down to the SCDS 2 and Wall punched it in from there.
Wall rushed for over a hundred yards after having just seven on two carries before halftime.
Savannah Christian now readies for a date with another rival in the form of undefeated and No. 3 ranked Calvary Day (3-0, 1-0) next week at Specialty Sports Complex. Country Day will try and snap its two-game losing streak next week at region 3-3A foe Long County.
SCDS – 0 - 0 - 6 - 0 – 6
SCPS – 7 - 14 - 10 - 14 – 45
HALF: SCPS, 21-0.
RECORDS: SCDS 2-2, 0-1; SCPS 4-0, 1-0.
NEXT: SCDS at Long County (9/23); SCPS at Calvary Day (9/23).
WEEK 4
FRIDAY September 16, 2022
Richmond Hill 28, New Hampstead 27
Carrollton 48, Jenkins 0
Brunswick 49, Islands 0
Region 3 3A
Johnson 35, Beach 17
Calvary Day 47, Liberty County 26
Long County 62, Groves 6
Savannah Christian 45, Savannah Country Day 6
Bryan County 28, Portal 24
Cross Creek 32, Savannah High 8
Memorial Day 42, Notre Dame Academy 13
Bethesda wins by forfeit over the Cross Schools
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FOLLOW Travis Jaudon on Twitter/Instagram @JaudonSports. Email him at travisLjaudon@gmail.com.
Optim Orthopedics supports Savannah Country Day School athletics. The SCDS team doctor is Dr. Thomas Alexander. Remember, Optim Orthopedics gets you back into the game!
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